Author's Note: So, I failed at getting another chapter up in a week. I have to thank those who reviewed the last chapter: Jules Hawk, ChaseingTheWind, riehull, ela11, Vorcha Girl, Kateriel79, Zacharti, Kirsah, and Elissa Theirin. It has been quite awhile since my last update, I certainly hope I haven't lost any of you. Thank you for your support, and for hanging in there with me.

Without any further delay ... Enjoy! - TLC


Chapter Fifty-Four

Kaidan was in the War Room less than twenty minutes later. He had taken advantage of the time to drop his bag off in the Crew Quarters, acknowledging those who stopped to salute him. He hadn't realized, until then, how awkward it would be to share a living space with those he outranked. Not awkward for him, but for them. He knew, from experience, how important it was to have a place to go, to relax, without the watchful eye of your CO. After noticing the uneasy glances they passed back and forth, he slung his bag back over his shoulder and left. He ignored the sighs of relief he heard behind him and stepped into the hall.

"Major Alenko?" He heard EDI's voice, but it had a clear direction. He turned towards it, expecting to see the blue orb that signified her presence, and felt the blood drain from his face when he looked in to the mechanical eyes of the Cerberus synthetic that nearly killed him. He knew his heart was racing, and his biotics reacted instantly; as if on reflex, a barrier sprang to life around him.

It surprised him how human the face looked as he read shock and regret on its mechanical features. Its hands lifted, palm out, and its head shook. "No, Major, it's EDI," He heard EDI's voice coming from this machine. His biotics fizzled out, and his head spun a bit at the rush of unspent power. It was then he noticed the subtle changes. The passive way it stood, the gentle relaxation of its eyes, and the fact that it was dressed in Alliance fatigues were all telling signs that it had not followed him here to finish the job.

It took a moment, then he laughed at himself as he shook his head. "EDI, you look…" His eyes moved over her form. If he hadn't seen her face, he would never have known she wasn't human.

"Jeff has already expressed his appreciation for this form. It is something I have come to expect," She said as she stood back, placing a hand on a cocked hip, reminding him immediately of Shepard. He laughed, again, shaking his head.

"I bet he has," He said, grinning. "Did you need something, EDI?" He asked, glancing quickly at his 'tool to check the time.

"I wanted to let you know, if the Crew Quarters are not sufficient, the Starboard Observation Deck is empty most of the time. There are couches, and comfortable chairs that may be more suitable for you, for the time being," EDI offered, and Kaidan felt himself relax. It would be better, for all involved. He thanked her, and she nodded stepping easily around him. She avoided his personal space to be sure he wasn't threatened. He chuckled lightly as he moved towards the Deck to drop off his bag before heading up to the War Room.

He stepped off the elevator and rounded the corner. He met with the soldiers guarding the War Room: Privates Bethany Westmoreland and Sarah Campbell. He nodded when they saluted and stepped through the scanner. At first, he had felt this added level of security was unnecessary. Then he thought of the reports of the Collectors abducting the crew. If the ship was somehow compromised, their attackers – be it Cerberus or Reaper forces – would have access to their plans and resources and that would secure their defeat. It was a necessary, if annoying step, as he waited for the scanner to ensure he wasn't armed before he stepped into the Conference Room.

One thing that had surprised Kaidan about the Normandy upon her return to the Alliance was the sheer size of her. Cerberus had done more than rebuild her, they had improved her, which Kaidan hadn't thought possible. This area of the ship held the conference room, the War Room, and the Communication center. The conference room was small, with see through walls that allowed the inhabitants to see out the windows of the ship to the stars surrounding them. There was a short hallway which led to the War Room. The War Room housed dozens of stations where the assigned personnel could track resources and manage communication and research for the war effort. Just off that room was the Quantum Entanglement Communications room. The QEC allowed them to reach nearly anyone they needed to. They could even reach Earth. It was amazing technology, and Kaidan found himself searching for a reason to use it; trying to contact his parents wasn't a priority – even if it was something he wished for multiple times a day.

His thoughts were interrupted when the Communications Specialist, Samantha Traynor, entered the conference room, her eyes down on the datapad in her hands, face obscured by her dark brown hair. When she finally looked up, she jumped, slightly startled by Kaidan's presence. Her black coffee colored, almond-shaped, eyes widened as she stumbled through a salute which Kaidan waved off with a friendly smile. Her milk chocolate complexion colored slightly as she apologized, her British accent was pleasant and her voice soft as she stepped further into the room. She took a space opposite Kaidan on the long side of the table.

His attention moved from the soft spoken Specialist to the door as Liara breezed in, her steps as graceful as ever. "Kaidan!" She breathed his name and moved quickly through the room. Kaidan was momentarily surprised when she wrapped him in a hug, but returned it none-the-less. "I am so glad you are alright," Her voice was quiet, but genuine. He thanked her and she stepped back and moved to stand with Traynor, the moment over and work back on the forefront of her mind.

Wrex entered next, loud and boisterous as ever and Kaidan had to admit he was surprised to see the Krogan. Garrus and Vega entered immediately after, and Vega grinned at him while Garrus stayed quiet, his cold Turian gaze moving over him once before he turned away from him, "Major Alenko," Vega greeted saluting him, and Kaidan waved him off before he extended his hand. "Glad to see you back on your feet," The Lieutenant offered, accepting his hand and Kaidan thanked him.

"It's good to be back on my feet, and back on the Normandy," Kaidan offered as he looked up towards Garrus. The Turian stood next to Traynor, his large hulking form filling the space. Kaidan could nearly feel the coolness of his stare as his sharp, blue eyes appraised him. Kaidan was surprised by the scarring on the side of Garrus's face. He had a vague memory of them, from Horizon, but he had been too distracted to really notice them in detail. They were deep, even the mandibles on the right side had been damaged. He wondered what had happened. "It's good to see you, Garrus," Kaidan offered with a nod.

"Is it?" Garrus responded shortly, his mandibles twitching unevenly, the right side moved stiffly. Kaidan felt the confusion at the anger in the undertones of Garrus's flanging tone. Gone was the easy going C-Sec officer he had served with on the SR-1. Kaidan realized then, acknowledging his own naivety, he was not the only one who had changed over the last few years. Kaidan's response was interrupted as Shepard entered the room, her eyes on a datapad as she chewed her lip. Kaidan watched her enter, and her eyes lifted and met his. He bit back a smile at the rush of emotion in his chest. He thought he saw a glimmer of something in her eyes.

He heard an angry click on Garrus's exhale, and Shepard's eyes shifted to the Turian before moving over the room. "Alright, Wrex, I know we were supposed to be heading to the Attican Traverse to follow up on the Rachni, but Traynor received a communication that requires our immediate attention," Shepard announced, gesturing to the young Specialist.

She cleared her throat gently before speaking, "Cerberus has attacked the human colony of Eden Prime. They are now occupying the colony and Alliance forces are stretched too thin to attempt a liberation. They are doing what they can to aid the resistance, but it's not enough," Kaidan listened to her speak as his mind wandered. Jenkins. The 212. Ashley. Nihlus. Eden Prime had been the start of everything, and he tried catching Shepard's eyes as she avoided his gaze. "In the process, we've learned that Cerberus has uncovered a major Prothean artifact," Kaidan heard Liara's sharp intake of breath and nearly chuckled. Some things truly never changed. "The Alliance still doesn't know what it is, but it appears to be the reason for the attack on the colony," Traynor finished, and set the datapad on the table in the room as a heavy silence fell over the assembled team.

"We will have to stop there before we move anywhere else," Shepard dictated to her team, and Kaidan jumped slightly when Wrex slammed his hands down on the table.

"Shepard! My scouts have been missing for weeks! Now, we're supposed to sit back and wait?!" Wrex's deep, gravel tone bounced off the walls of the room, and all eyes turned to Shepard as she crossed her arms over her chest. One sculpted eyebrow raised over narrowed eyes.

"Fuck yes, you're going to wait!" She answered. "This is my ship, and I say where we go and what our priorities are." Her voice was hard, cold, and angry and Kaidan felt the shift in her energy just barely, as her eyes flashed with her anger.

"Of course you're choosing the human colony," Wrex snapped, unaffected by her.

"Maybe I would have gotten to your scouts sooner if you didn't insist on curing the fucking genophage! I'm not choosing the human colony. I'm choosing the Prothean artifact. I'm choosing to keep it out of Cerberus' hands! I'm choosing to fight the Reaper War! You've met your quota for demands, Wrex!" Her voice raised, and a wave of biotic energy raced over her form. The occupants in the room shifted slightly. Her tone left no room for question.

Wrex simply stared with one red eye for a long moment before letting a deep rumbling laugh slip from his chest, "I forgot just how big your quad is, Shepard," and with that the tension slipped from the room like air being let out of a balloon. Her face broke into a smile, and a nervous chuckle rang out from the rest of the assembled group.

"Joker," She called out, looking towards the ceiling.

"Commander?" His disembodied voice responded, his tone lacking the usual tease. She ordered him to set course for Eden Prime, "Yes, Ma'am," He answered and the comm cut off. Kaidan looked back to Shepard and shifted slightly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"The ground team for Eden Prime will be Liara, Alenko, and myself," Shepard announced, finally looking up and meeting Kaidan's eyes again. He was glad she had decided to bring him with her. He nodded at her, and glanced at Liara who was beaming with excitement. He was distracted when Garrus let out a low, threatening, singular laugh. His taloned fingers tapping on the table. "We should be at the colony at 0600. Make sure you're ready," She dictated, "Dismissed."

The room emptied, almost. Garrus and Kaidan stayed behind, and instantly the air changed, cooling. Kaidan swallowed hard as his eyes moved back and forth between Shepard and Garrus. "Really, Shepard, that's your team?" Garrus asked, his two-toned voice oddly shocked, and almost disappointed. His eyes hard on Shepard, and Kaidan felt the tension creeping up the back of his neck. What had he missed?

"I didn't stutter, Vakarian," She answered, maintaining her stance, and her eye contact with the Turian.

"No and I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," He stated, his eyes narrowed at her. "Your little boytoy finally decides to back you up so now I'm being left behind."

Kaidan was instantly furious. The sudden rage surprised him, and his hands clenched at his sides as his biotics ignited. Garrus must have sensed it as his eyes moved with avian speed and met his. Kaidan was shocked at the contempt he found there as Garrus leaned forward resting his hands on the edge of the table. He had once called Garrus a friend, he was entirely sure when that had changed.

"Enough," She growled, her voice clipped and cold, before Kaidan had a chance to respond. "Goddamn it, I feel like I have to have this fuckin conversation every fuckin time. This is my ship. This is my mission. Questions my orders or decisions again and you will no longer have a place on this ship. I will deposit you on the nearest planet, and may the Spirits have mercy on your soul. Am I clear?" She asked, her bright blue eyes flashing.

"Clear, Commander," He answered, his voice a near growl. The room was silent for a heated minute before Garrus turned his eyes away from the Shepard. Kaidan stared at Garrus, completely unsure where this animosity came from. The anger was still thick in his veins, he could feel it pulsing with each heartbeat.

Garrus pushed away from the table and stormed through the door, mumbling about calibrations. Kaidan's eyes locked on Shepard and he couldn't hold back the question, "What the hell was that?"

She scrubbed her hands over her face, "Don't worry about it," She insisted around a sigh. "I'll talk to him later," She promised as she met his eyes again. She looked exhausted and he had to wonder how she was sleeping; if she was sleeping. She was responsible for so much, for taking care of so much, he worried that she didn't have time to take care of herself. He opened his mouth to speak, and was interrupted by EDI, "Shepard, Admiral Anderson is on the comm for you."

Kaidan was warmed, and instantly jealous, at the relief that washed over her features. She thanked the AI, and held Kaidan's eyes for a heartbeat. It looked like there was something she wanted to say, but he nodded towards the door. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she turned and left the room. He followed her, and watched her over his shoulder as she rushed to the comm room.

His stomach rumbled. He realized then it had been hours since his last meal. He turned and made his way towards the mess. He stepped off the elevator on the crew deck and rounded the corner. He met the mess sergeant and filled his plate with a biotic helping of food. He turned, and was glad when he found an open spot next to Liara. She smiled warmly at him, and waved him over.

Funny how things change.

He thanked her as he sat next to her and tucked into his meal. He hadn't missed the food on a warship, but it was better than going hungry, and the Normandy's kitchen had always been better stocked than others. They let the comfortable silence fill the space between them as they ate, which Kaidan appreciated. It had been a long day.

As their meal drew to a close, he sat back and took a long drink of his water. He met Liara's bright blue eyes, and she smiled, "How are you feeling?" Kaidan was surprised, maybe he shouldn't have been, by the concern in her voice. Liara and he hadn't been close, by any stretch of imagination, but they had common ground: Shepard.

"I feel better than I have in a very long time," He admitted, and while he meant physically, the look in her eyes told him she took it other ways, as well. He did have to agree, being back on the Normandy, with Shepard, Liara, Wrex, Garrus, and Joker really did something to him deep inside; made him feel whole in a way he hadn't for years.

"I think we are all happy to have you back," She offered, and he thanked her before their attention was pulled to the forward battery as the doors opened. Garrus moved with an easy confidence down the corridor towards the mess. He nodded at the crew he passed before stopping to make quick conversation with Vega. He left the Lieutenant, laughing, to make his own tray of food at the mess counter; which he promptly took back to the battery to eat in solitude. Kaidan was concerned, and he looked to Liara, whose eyes were on the door that had closed behind the Turian.

He couldn't ignore the sensation that Garrus was not as happy to have him back as Liara suggested. After a tense moment, the Asari met his eyes and her cheeks turned a familiar purple. She forced a smile, "Is he alright?" Kaidan asked, and Liara sighed deeply.

"Garrus has been through a lot since the SR-1 went down," She admitted, and Kaidan turned slightly towards her, hoping she would be willing to share. She looked around the crowded mess and then back at Kaidan. She nodded her heads towards her cabin. He stood, gathering their dirty dishes, and followed her to her space.

Upon entering, he instantly regretted telling EDI Liara didn't have to vacate the quarters. The space was the size of the lounge and private with a large bed at the back on the room. It was clear, however, that it would have been quite the undertaking for the Asari to move everything, and Kaidan wanted his joining to be seamless. Liara was firmly rooted in the space. One side of the long room was covered, ceiling to floor, with vid screens that allowed her to track her Shadow Broker contacts. He was met at the door by Glyph, a drone who greeted him and wished him a good day. No, Liara was clearly at home here.

She gestured to some chairs near the private section of the room, and Kaidan sat and watched as she joined him. She slid some datapads across the table to him and he looked up, "These are reports on Garrus's activities after the SR-1 went down," Liara explained and Kaidan couldn't suppress the sigh.

"I have read enough reports, Liara, please just tell me," He asked and she met his eyes again.

"Very well," She agreed, and folded her hands together in her lap. She looked up and met Kaidan's eyes and he felt momentarily guilty for talking about Garrus when he wasn't here, but Kaidan didn't expect the Turian to speak to him any time soon. "You know, as well as I do, that he and Shepard became friends on the first Normandy," Liara stated, and Kaidan nodded. "After Shepard died, he couldn't handle the way the Council smeared her name and pretended as if nothing had happened. He went to Omega, and went rogue. He built a team, they were close. For a while, there was a true police presence on the station: Archangel and his crew. Sidonis, was the first to join up with Garrus, and he betrayed them. Sidonis was captured by the Blue Suns and forced to betray Garrus and the rest of his team. Garrus ended up returning to their safe house just in time to watch it burn. All of them, his crew, his team, were killed," Liara explained, and Kaidan felt his stomach sink.

He knew what it was like to watch someone you were charged to protect die. Even though it wasn't an actual military company, he knew Garrus enough to know the Turian would have felt personally responsible. It still didn't explain his sudden anger at Kaidan.

"Sidonis sold him out, and he ended up trapped and surrounded by all the gangs on Omega. They were closing in on him, and he was sure he was going to be killed – until Shepard arrived, that is. She joined him, and assisted him in taking out the leaders of the three gangs, but not before a rocket was fired into their building. Garrus took the brunt of the attack, and very nearly died. Shepard was able to get him on the Normandy, and Chakwas saved him. See, if Shepard hadn't been brought back, if she hadn't been there, he would have died on Omega," Liara explained, and Kaidan leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. That explained why Garrus was so devoted to Shepard.

"By the time they met you on Horizon, they had been through a lot with Cerberus. They were still surrounded by Cerberus agents and not sure who to trust. I know Shepard had been looking for you, and I know she wanted to find you and bring you with her. I think Garrus was looking for the same. We all know it was the three if you on the SR-1. I think when you walked away from Shepard, in a way Garrus felt like you walked away from him, too. He was angry, and betrayed," She explained, and Kaidan dropped his eyes as she spoke of Horizon. His biggest regret.

"I also think something happened on the Collector homeworld. Of course, I wasn't there and even with my reach the information is limited," Liara continued, and when he lifted his eyes and met hers he knew she could see that she was correct. It was information he was only privy to because Thane had slipped into a memory while speaking with him. Shepard had intended to die. Perhaps Garrus blamed him, at least a little, in her decision. He looked away from her then, and she dropped the issue. "He's not the same Turian he was when he first joined Shepard, and I think he may be surprised she is trusting you again," Liara explained and held his eyes.

"Then, I'll just have to prove to him that I deserve it," He answered simply, and Liara smiled. He reached out and placed his hand over hers. "Thank you," He offered and she nodded. It was a lot of information she didn't have to pass on, but he was glad she had.

As he left her to her work, and made his way back to the Starboard Observation Deck, he let her words really sink in. He hadn't realized how his actions would have looked to the non-humans they knew, and he was more than a little embarrassed. He had his work cut out for him, but clearly Garrus fancied himself some kind of older brother figure for Shepard. He could respect that; Garrus had been there for Shepard when he hadn't been.

He knew that would never happen again. He just had to prove that to Shepard, and apparently, to Garrus.